


i want you and i want him

by onetruethree



Series: Zutaraang Roommates AU [2]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Confessions, Multi, OT3, Roommates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-10
Updated: 2020-05-29
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:42:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21746143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onetruethree/pseuds/onetruethree
Summary: Aang and his girlfriend, Katara are falling for Aang's roommate, Zuko, and try to work up the courage to confess.
Relationships: Aang/Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Zutaraang Roommates AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1576306
Comments: 58
Kudos: 164





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> title from the song Apple Candy by Ben Lee

When Katara woke up that morning, she had no idea how important the day would be. But then she got a call from Aang. 

“Katara?” He whispered from the other side of the line. “We need to talk.”

If it was anyone else, she would’ve assumed he was about to break up with her. But this was Aang, and last time she checked, he was madly in love with her. 

  
“It’s about Zuko.” He sounded nervous, his voice shaky, but Katara understood why. Zuko was his new roommate, and the two of them didn't get along that well. She just hoped that Zuko hadn’t done anything bad, since both of them were pretty open about their attraction to him, and Katara had trusted that he was a good person. 

“Okay, Aang. Why do you want to talk about him?” She tried to say this as quietly as possible, since her brother was in the other room, most likely asleep. 

“Well, I think I’m really falling for him,” he confessed, almost embarrassed, but continued to explain. “I keep watching the way he chews on his pencil when he gets frustrated with schoolwork, or when he falls asleep on the couch after a long day and I can hear him snoring softly. Everything he does, is just so--” Cute? That wasn’t the right word to describe Zuko, he was actually quite intimidating, “It’s just so amazing. It’s just like how I fell for you.” Katara and Aang met in high school, and the situation was quite similar. Aang watched her during class when he should’ve been studying. 

Katara really wanted to keep her voice down now that they were talking about their feelings for Zuko. She hadn’t exactly told Sokka about that yet, and she dreaded even thinking about it. “Okay, so what’s the plan? Is he even available?” Zuko didn't really seem like the type to date, but that could just be because of his attitude, and Katara didn't want to assume anything about him until she actually talked to him about it. But even if he was open to dating, the odds that he would be into both of them were slim, and even slimmer that he would be open to whatever type of relationship they wanted to pose. 

Aang hadn’t really thought this through, and he was mainly just counting on Katara to help him with a solution. But when asked, he thought about what he wanted out of this, regardless of anyone’s opinion about it. “I want him to know. Even if it ruins everything, even if it makes life here a thousand times more awkward, I want him to know. He deserves to know.” 

Katara wasn’t surprised by this, but she would’ve taken her own approach to it. Even though she was pretty sure about her feelings, hers weren’t as concrete as Aang’s. Her feelings were only just starting, despite how intense they were. But ultimately, she agreed with him; her feelings may be just starting to grow, but she wanted to explore them with Zuko, rather than from afar. And the best way to do that was to confess. “Okay. Tonight, then? After school?” 

That time frame scared him, but there was no reason to put it off. “Tonight.”

* * *

Katara was finding it impossible to focus during class that day, but once she made it through, her head was clear. After making the decision with Aang, she was determined to finish what they had agreed to do. She walked to Aang and Zuko’s shared dorm as soon as she got out of class.

Zuko answered when Katara knocked. “Katara? Why are you here?” He wasn’t used to seeing her without Aang. They went everywhere together, and she was over here almost as often as Aang was, but she was never by herself. For a split second, he let himself be happy she felt comfortable enough around him to come here alone. Then she shattered that with her response. 

"Zuko, where's Aang?" She asked. She had expected him to be there. She  _ needed  _ him there if she was going to have the courage to do this. 

"I haven't seen him since this morning. I assumed you would know where he is."

Katara swallowed her feelings. She had promised herself she would do this today, and she had no idea when Aang would be back, so she needed to do this now. Without him. Although it didn't seem like Aang to just ditch her like this, she could understand if that was the truth. But she wasn't bold enough to get right to the point. "Oh, never mind, it's nothing." She tried to sit down on Zuko's bed as calmly as possible. "It's just," she paused and stared at a point on the wall just beyond him, "There's someone I have feelings for."

Zuko was rightly shocked, as he hadn't expected Katara to be the kind of person to talk about such things so openly, and he couldn't believe she would ask him for this type of advice. "Oh," was all he could think of to say.

Katara pressed harder into the topic, now too determined to chicken out. "He is a little clueless, but I just want him to know because I'm hoping there's a chance he might like me back." She had previously hoped her words would come out sounding better than that, and she was having a hard time not beating around the bush. It was one thing to practice confessing in the mirror, but it was completely different actually saying these things to his face. Despite his awkwardness, Aang's confession to Katara was actually sweet and thoughtful, and it went rather smoothly. Granted, that was a different situation, but it also made Katara lost when it came to her confession to Zuko. 

_ That sounds a lot like Aang,  _ Zuko thought, and subconsciously wished he had someone that thought that much of him. And another, even smaller, part of him wished that person was Aang or Katara. 

"He's kind, even if he doesn't show it all the time. He's strong and powerful, but he doesn't use that power except to help others," Katara continued to gush, and Zuko agreed with every point she made, thinking they were about Aang. Aang was amazing, and even though they started out hating each other, they had developed an unbelievably strong friendship.

Then, Zuko had a quick question that he had no idea would be such a big deal. "Aren't you already dating Aang?" When Zuko had first met them, he had just assumed they were together because of the way they acted towards each other. And when Katara looked at him blankly, he added, "I thought you were supposed to be describing a crush. But you and Aang are already together."

She just blinked at Zuko through confused eyes. "What?" 

"You're talking about Aang, right?"

Katara looked about ready to laugh. "Zuko, this isn't about him." She looked Zuko in the eye, trying to clue him in on what she meant.

"Why not? He's clearly in love with you." 

Katara's attempts to clear things up only made Zuko more confused. She took a deep breath and tried to explain as best she could while not outright confessing all her feelings right then and there. "I  _ am  _ with Aang. But that's not who I'm talking about. I'm in love with someone else."

This surprised Zuko, since Katara was the last person he ever expected would cheat, and he felt a little offended on Aang's behalf, but he humored her. He  _ was  _ a little curious, after all. "Really? Who is it?" 

Katara almost wanted to roll her eyes; this was getting to be a little much. Zuko was completely clueless. Even though she had a plan, she was forced to improvise because of Zuko's inability to recognise love. She was also getting a little embarrassed just thinking of confessing. "Zuko..." she started, suddenly nervous. Her hands twitched toward her phone. She wanted Aang's support in this moment, since he was the one who convinced her to do this in the first place.

"Katara, what are you trying to say? You're not making any sense."

She put the phone back into her pocket and opened her mouth to say something, anything that would explain her behavior, but she couldn't think of anything but the truth, and merely thinking about confessing made her want to puke. She closed her eyes, and just before she gave up and left, she felt a soft buzz from her phone, as if Aang was there, trying to tell her to stay calm. That helped Katara to keep her head clear and think of an approach to this problem. 

She moved her hand to hover just next to his arm, hesitating to commit to giving him a reassuring touch, but once she opened her mouth to talk, she knew there was no going back. She shifted her hand and planted it firmly on the inside of his wrist, inches away from his hand. "This guy I like, I didn't always like him. When I first met him, I thought he was the worst guy I had met in a long time. He was rash, and obsessive, and angry. But as I got to know him, I understood him more, and I realized that those are the things I liked about him." She slid her hand down to line up with his, hoping with all her might that he would get the hint. "And now he's one of my favorite people. Since I didn't even like him at first, it was a long way to fall." She waited for him to react, and in the dead silence she started to spiral into regret. But then, be spoke up.

"You like  _ me?"  _

That made Katara pine even harder. Despite how he usually acted, he was sometimes so fragile she wished she could just hold him in place so he wouldn't fall apart. After her confession, she hoped he would let her. She slowly began nodding. "Yes, Zuko. I like  _ you. _ " 

"But, what about Aang?" He asked, and it was a valid question. She was just about to answer it when the man himself walked through the door, flustered and out of breath. Zuko immediately jumped up, hoping Aang wouldn't see him as a threat to his relationship with Katara in that moment.

"Sorry I'm late," he said in between breaths. "I wanted to pick something up before--" he looked between Zuko, who looked more nervous than should be humanly possible, and Katara, who was still sat on the bed, a rather smug look on her face. He then knew what had happened. "Katara, what are you doing?" There was anger in his voice, enough to make Zuko jump, but Katara didn't seem the slightest bit bothered. 

Zuko started to stumble over words. "I can explain, it wasn't what it looked like--"

Aang spoke right over him. "You did this without me?" He seemed hurt, but not for the reason Zuko thought.

"I'm sorry, but you were late and I was worried you had chickened out." 

Aang's face melted from hurt to forgiveness, but before he could say anything else, Zuko interrupted. "Can someone please tell me what's happening?"

Aang turned towards Zuko, realizing how confused he must be. “Zuko, I know this might be weird, but Katara came here to confess to you. And if she actually waited for me to show up,” he gave a playful, teasing look at his girlfriend, “I was gonna confess, too.”

Zuko didn't know how to respond to that. “You’re kidding, right?” There was no way Zuko could believe this was real. It had to be a prank, or a misunderstanding. “Why would you joke about this? I thought you two were honest people.”

“Zuko, no, listen to us,” Katara tried to change his mind, but he was already convinced. He ran out the door without another word. Katara looked at Aang, speechless. “Well, that could’ve gone better.” Aang looked like he wanted to run after him, but he knew that wasn’t the best idea. Katara put his thoughts into words. “We should give him space.”

So, they did give him space. But sooner or later, they knew he would have to come back to the dorm, and then they would try to explain. They sat, talking, for what seemed like forever, and by that time, they were really getting worried that he might not come back. But just as they were about to give in and go look for him, they heard a shuffling at the door. They jumped up, suddenly nervous again, but once they saw Zuko open the door, face stained with tears, both of them melted. 

“You’re still here?” Zuko asked, shocked that they had waited here for him. He was really convinced that they were joking with him. He tried to wipe his tears away as casually as possible before walking towards them. 

“Of course. We didn't want to abandon you," Aang explained.

That made Zuko question what he previously thought. If they stayed here, they must really care. 

"Zuko, it's okay. You don't have to run away. I understand if you don't believe us, but we don't hate you, and this isn't some childish prank," Aang tried to explain to him. 

He started to believe them. 

"Are you alright? Forget about earlier, we just want to know if you're okay," Katara said, in the most soothing tone she could muster.

Now, he wasn't sure if he believed himself. He told himself he was fine, but he had just cried for about an hour, and he was only going back to his room to retrieve his phone. He was glad that they were still there, or else he might've called his sister, and that never ended well. "I'm fine," he tried to say, but his voice caught in his throat. He didn't want to cry again, in fact, he felt much safer now that he was home and surrounded by people who cared about him. But despite that, he still could feel the tears start to come. “I’m still confused, but thank you for staying,” he managed to get out. Then, seeing Aang and Katara’s faces of pity didn't help the situation, either, and he finally gave in to his feelings and let out a sob. 

That made Katara want to hold him in her arms, to help him feel secure, but she knew he wouldn’t be the most comfortable with either of them doing that. And Katara wasn’t the type of person to initiate a hug that often, and the moments for them came rarely with even Aang. 

Aang seemingly read her mind, but was courteous enough to ask, “Can we hug you?” 

At first, Zuko said nothing, and didn't even move an inch; he just held his face with his hands and let his body shake as he cried. They both wanted to tell him it was alright, that he could just let his feelings out, but they also knew it wasn’t really their place. That was the point of their plan to confess today, actually, to make it their place to help him. And even if that just meant being closer as friends, neither of them would be disappointed. Then, Zuko stumbled forward and leaned his face on Aang’s chest. It was quite a surprise, but Aang just went with it, wrapping his arms around Zuko as calmly as possible. He looked to Katara, who just seemed stunned, and nodded to her, giving her permission to join him in holding Zuko together. She did, and Zuko leaned into her as well, and cried into both of their shoulders. Neither of them had seen him this vulnerable, nor had they expected to ever see him like this. 

Suddenly, he stood up straight and tried his best to stop crying enough to speak. “Sorry, it all just came out at once, and--” he wiped away a few tears. “And, I’ve never done this before. I’ve barely made friends with anyone, and I was ready to give up hope,” 

Katara stopped him before he could continue being so negative. “Zuko, you are worthy of love. And we’re the evidence. You  _ are  _ loved.” 

Zuko smiled. 

Aang added onto what Katara had started. “You’re a good person, and now that you have us, we’ll never let anyone else say otherwise.” 

His smile widened. “Thank you guys. I do feel better now. And I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but, like I said, I’ve never even had close friends before, so I’d like to try starting with that.”

“Of course, we understand. We’d be happy to be your friends,” Aang answered. 

“We both still care for you a lot, no matter what type of relationship,” Katara added. “Just know that we’re here if you ever need to get anything off your chest.” 

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Zuko replied, and felt content for possibly the first time in his life. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who supported the last chapter, I finally decided to continue this series! I have it mostly written out already, so I will try to post the rest as soon as possible. Thanks again and comments are much appreciated ❤

Katara and Aang agreed to stay friends with Zuko, but it was proving difficult. It was almost worse now that he knew about their feelings, but they were determined to make him as comfortable as possible, and if that meant waiting for months-- or even if he never wanted to have a romantic relationship with them-- they had to be okay with that. They did want the best for him, after all.

For Katara, it was hard being so patient. It was difficult having to see him around school and merely smile and wave. It was also difficult when she visited Aang’s room to study together and they shared tea late at night to stay awake when cramming for a test. 

For Aang, it was difficult to hear Zuko’s quiet snores at night, and even more difficult when he had rare but still prevalent nightmares. Aang often wanted to walk the short distance across the room and soothe Zuko back to sleep, but he knew that would overstep some boundaries. 

So, they continued being friends, which was actually much better than their situation before. Zuko seemed more comfortable with them, as if now he knew they weren’t pretending to be his friends just to be polite. Aang and Katara were mostly happy that Zuko was happy, so they were reluctant to ever bring up the confession again.

With each other, though, they talked about him constantly. When Zuko wasn’t around, they gushed to each other about him, and it almost felt wrong, like an invasion of privacy. They were each other’s outlets for their feelings, so talking about it did soften the blow. 

It was hard for Zuko, too, even though he didn't show it. He did like Aang and Katara a lot, but he had never been very good at feelings, so he had no idea how to react. He thought staying friends would help him make up his mind, but it didn't help in the slightest. It might’ve actually made things worse, because he had no idea what his feelings meant. He wasn’t used to having friends, and he definitely wasn’t used to having romantic feelings, so he had nothing to compare it to. 

That was until he met Aang and Katara’s friends. They had a bunch of friends, and of course they wanted him to meet them. He was hesitant about it, but he went along with it anyway.

Aang and Katara thought that Zuko would probably be more comfortable at a movie than any other occasion, since he wasn’t a big fan of small talk, and so they decided to introduce him to all their friends at a time when they were planning on going to the movies as a group anyway.

There was Katara’s brother, Sokka, who Zuko had actually heard a lot about, and who didn't make the best first impression. Zuko usually didn't prefer the company of such extroverted, loud people, but after a while he started to see the similarities between Sokka and his sister, and that made Zuko more willing to be friendly. 

Then there was Sokka’s girlfriend, Suki, who Zuko immediately respected, even if he wasn’t sure about making friends with her. She was strong but still fun, and Zuko had a hard time understanding what she saw in Sokka, but they seemed to love each other as much as Katara and Aang did. 

They met once they got to the theater, and although it was supposed to be quiet, the movie hadn’t started yet and Sokka had a habit of talking when he wasn’t supposed to. Zuko was on the end, so he wasn’t expected to talk to the rest of them, but he overheard most of the conversation. Through this, he learned that Sokka traveled over almost every weekend to visit Suki, and he apparently had a story from every trip, despite it being not even a two hour drive. 

Thankfully, Zuko got to sit on the end next to Aang, and he could feel the tension between them even if he was pretty sure Aang was paying most of his attention to the movie. Zuko, on the other hand couldn't care less about the movie, and by the time he realized he wasn't paying attention, he had no idea what was going on. He looked over at Aang and Katara's friends, trying to gauge his feelings for them. Sokka was on the other end, and despite the movie seemingly taking up all his attention, Zuko noticed his hand on his girlfriend's shoulder, an ever-present reminder of his affection. Zuko found it unexpectedly touching, and he wondered how he would feel with a similar gesture from Aang or Katara. That brought his attention to the fact that Katara and Aang were holding hands, and his stomach did a flip. He thought briefly about making a move to hold Aang's hand, but he knew they probably would never forgive them for doing something like that before even giving them an answer about his feelings. So, he turned his attention back to the movie even though he had no idea what was going on.

After the movie, Zuko stopped at the bathroom and left the others to talk about what they had watched. Katara was planning on telling them her favorite part of the movie, but Sokka asked a completely different question.

"So, Katara, you have feelings for him?"

Katara turned beet red. She wanted to ask how exactly he came to that conclusion, but Suki also interrupted. 

“I think Aang does, too,” Suki told her boyfriend, which made Aang blush, too. 

Katara looked at her boyfriend, who she could tell was just as shocked as she was. Even though it would be fun to talk about them like they weren’t there and embarrass them further, they gave Aang space to speak up. Although Katara would’ve wanted him to make up an excuse, she had to know he would tell the truth at this point. “How did you know?” It was a question, but still an admission of their feelings. 

Sokka spoke up. “It was pretty obvious. I mean, first, he’s totally Katara’s type,” At that, Katara put on a sour face, although she probably had to admit it was true. 

Suki finished her boyfriend’s sentence. “Yeah, and I saw the way Aang looked at him, and I only ever see him like that with Katara.”

Katara gave in. “Okay, fine, you guys are right. But don’t mention it to him, he said he would rather be friends for now.” She was surprised how normally her friends acted about this whole thing, and she realized she was probably being overly careful to be afraid of their reaction: they were the most supportive friends either she or Aang could ask for. 

Zuko was back in a matter of seconds after that, and although he thought the group was acting a little off, he didn't know them enough to understand what was happening. He did wonder why Aang and Katara looked a little embarrassed, but he assumed it was probably some inside joke or something of the sort, so he didn't want to ask. 

When the group saw him, they seemed more friendly than earlier. Sokka greeted him by saying, “Hey, buddy.” He looked at his girlfriend and then added, “I think we’re all gonna go to Toph’s place, wanna come with?”

Zuko did want to come with, not that he had much choice. His ride was with Katara and Aang and he couldn’t stop them from having fun on his account. He just said, “Sure,” a little unsure based on Sokka’s enthusiasm, but the rest of them seemed happy about that answer. 

They drove back to Toph’s place, and Zuko was a little shocked to see it. She was the only one who didn't live in the dorms except for Sokka, who still lived at home. And it wasn’t just a cheap apartment, either, Toph’s place was a full-on house. Zuko immediately got the feeling that Toph’s family was probably rich. He didn't ask about it, though, since he didn't know her and it wasn’t that important to him, anyway. 

Zuko wasn’t really sure how they all met Toph, but he liked her the most. She kept to herself, but she also put Sokka in his place when he needed it. She got along the best with Zuko because she respected his boundaries and left him alone to brood. 

Sokka suggested some card game Zuko had never played, and although he told them he could sit it out, they insisted on teaching him. It turned out to be simple enough, and after a while Zuko realized it was called “Uno” after the number you call out when you only have one card left. He didn't particularly care about the game, but he did notice that Sokka won at least three times in a row, which was probably part of the reason he had suggested it. Even though he didn't really understand how the game was played, he liked to watch the others and idly play with the bumps and ridges from the braille on the cards. Zuko also liked the way it made the group fight in a playful way, and he often found himself laughing a lot, which was rare for him. He made a note to notice how often Aang and Katara looked over at him or each other when he did so. 

Then, Zuko won a round. It was an accident, since he hadn’t even called out Uno, but no one else had noticed he only had one card either. He played his last card, and only then did they realize he had won. Sokka looked stunned and a little competitively angry for a moment, but he ultimately celebrated with the rest of them that Zuko had won his first game of Uno. 

“As a prize, I think you should be able to take anything that you want from Toph’s fridge,” Sokka told him. 

Toph made a sound in protest of Sokka volunteering her food as a prize, but didn't say anything, wanting to give Zuko room like Katara had asked of them.

Zuko protested as well. “You didn't get a prize for winning three times.”

Sokka just shrugged. “Well, I thought it would be appropriate since it was your first time winning. I win all the time, so if I got a prize every time, Toph would be out of food.” He then made a sound that made Zuko think he had been kicked under the table.

Zuko frowned, thinking this was all a little juvenile and that everyone was acting strange around him, but he supposed it was most likely normal for them. He tried to convince himself he had nothing to worry about. 

They played another game, this time Zuko only watched as he ate an ice cream sandwich, and found that he had quite enjoyed the game. More than anything, though, he liked the way Katara reacted triumphantly when she won, and the way Aang looked happy for her even though he had lost. He threw his last cards back in the pile and put his arm around his girlfriend in a display of affection Zuko found he rather envied. They ended the evening with Zuko having learned that his feelings for Katara and Aang were different than those for the rest of the group, but that could simply be explained by the fact that he had known them longer. 

He was still pondering his situation as he tried his best to sleep while Aang was only a few feet away.


	3. Chapter 3

Zuko wasn't used to this. He wasn't used to the feeling in his veins whenever Aang or Katara or both were near him. He wasn't used to having friends in general, but after meeting Sokka, Suki, and Toph, he could tell it was different. Even though he had just met them, he noticed the way they acted around Katara and Aang and vice versa, and all he could infer from that was he wanted something different with them. He wasn't sure if what he wanted was just "best friends close enough to tell each other secrets and maybe hold hands" status or if he really wanted to date both of them. 

That was another thing he wasn't used to: the possibility of dating two people at once. He had never heard anyone even entertain that idea, let alone be in that sort of relationship. Of course, with his family he was lucky to have any intimate conversation, so it was far-fetched to think he would ever have a nuanced talk about polyamory (he had looked that term up for research purposes). He did, however, remember one conversation long ago-- so long ago in fact, that it was clouded in his memory-- with his sister, Azula. It wasn't about non-monogamy, though, but at least something outside of the future his parents had set up for them. He remembered her confessing to him about a crush she had on a certain female friend of hers, and Zuko remembered being shocked. Not because the object of her affection was a girl, but rather that his sister would disclose something like that to him.

He specifically remembered how sure of it she was, even at her young age. Maybe things were easier at that age, or maybe things were just easier for her. Nonetheless, he couldn't recall her mentioning it any time after that. Maybe their father had heard about it and scolded her, or maybe she merely anticipated punishment if she mentioned it. Zuko, despite his reservations about his sister, was grateful for the rare friendly moments they had. They made him hope for a better relationship with her in the future, and he wanted to believe they would've been close if it wasn't for their incompetent father. He wished he could ask her about this, but every time he thought about it, he could only ever imagine her getting mad or making fun of him. Just like his father would.

So, he kept his feelings to himself. He knew he could talk to Katara or Aang, but they were already trying their hardest to make him feel comfortable. He couldn’t ask them to accommodate sudden feelings he had no idea how to characterize. 

He was used to bottling up his feelings, anyway. 

He got out of bed, ready to study for his tests the next day, but Aang was already awake as well, despite it being much earlier in the morning than either of them usually woke up. He was sitting on the bed when he watched Zuko get out of bed.

“So, what are your thoughts about yesterday?” He asked, obviously curious on his and Katara’s behalf if meeting new people had been fun for him. 

Zuko didn't exactly know how to respond, but it was fun even if it didn't clear up any feelings. “It was great. Thanks for inviting me.”

Aang seemed ecstatic that Zuko was happy with their invitation. “No problem. Actually, we do stuff like that every weekend, we’d be happy for you to join us.”

Zuko hadn’t expected Aang and Katara’s friends to be okay with that, since he still felt like an outsider. “I’ll think about it.” He wasn’t even sure if he would enjoy committing to something like that every week, and he was usually busy with schoolwork, but he was just happy that Aang would include him like that. 

Zuko expected that was it and Aang would leave him alone so he could study, but Aang kept looking at him as if he wanted to talk for longer. After a minute or so of silence, Zuko got his books out to study, but after another couple minutes, Aang finally did speak up. “I’m sorry.” He hadn’t planned on apologizing, and if Katara was there she would’ve told him not to. 

“What?” Zuko didn't have the slightest idea what he was referring to.

“Sorry for confusing you with all this. I can’t help but think it would’ve gone easier if we had just agreed to be friends in the first place. Confessing to you seems selfish now, but I just didn't want to bottle up my feelings for you.”

Zuko was stunned. “Aang, don’t apologize.” He didn't know how to respond, but he knew he didn't want Aang to feel guilty. “I don’t want you to keep your feelings to yourself for my sake. If we had just become friends like normal, I’m sure I would’ve been just as confused.” He meant it mainly as a joke, trying to bring levity to the conversation, and although Aang smiled at it, he still didn't seem to be in the best mood, and it made Zuko’s heart hurt.

Aang had an idea. “Zuko, do you have time? Katara and I keep talking about going to the skating rink here in town, and you could come with us if you want.”

That wasn’t what Zuko was expecting him to say, and he didn't really have time because he had a test tomorrow he should really study for, but he said yes anyway.

Zuko thought ice skating would be a good idea since it was the season for it and he had heard from books and movies that it was fun. The only problem was that he was sure he would be really bad at it. As they all got their skates on, Aang told him that he had never skated before, but Katara had. When they got actually out on the rink, which was fairly empty for a weekend, Zuko saw that she was actually really good. While he and Aang stayed near the wall, she seemed used to the ice and spun around, almost showing off. 

Zuko found it endearing, but was starting to become self-conscious about his own ice skating skills as Aang was already getting used to the feeling. He soon followed Katara out to the middle of the rink, only slipping a little and having Katara catch him. Hand in hand, the two watched Zuko from a couple feet away, and despite not pressuring him to push off away from the wall, Zuko felt pressured anyway by their stares. If he was observant, he would know they were admiring him from afar, or at least the most they could without pushing boundaries. 

“You’re a natural!” Katara said to her boyfriend, and it was true. Somehow, balance came naturally to Aang.

Katara held on to Aang and she taught him her simple spinning trick and Zuko watched in awe. Every time he saw them together, it was almost impossible to him how in love they were. For a second, he wanted a part of that love, and in that second he let go of the wall and--

Fell flat on his face. 

Aang and Katara rushed over to him, both of them lifting him to his feet. He didn't miss the fact that they were holding on to his hands. They let go in only a moment, wanting to keep things platonic, and Zuko almost wanted to fall again to feel their hands on his again. He didn't, though. Instead, he smiled nervously and said, “I’m gonna sit for a while.” His knees were a little scratched, but mostly he was cold, which he wasn’t fond of, and he didn't want to humiliate himself again. 

Katara and Aang didn't like the idea of leaving him alone, but they didn't want to force him to do something he didn't want to. “Alright,” Katara said, “Then let’s get hot cocoa and go somewhere warm.” Katara didn't mind the cold. She actually quite enjoyed it, but obviously, Zuko wasn’t having fun. 

Zuko insisted otherwise. “No, don’t stop on my account. Go have fun without me.”

Katara wasn’t having that. Aang wasn’t either, and he told Zuko, “We’re not going to have fun if you aren’t with us.” It was true, actually. If they knew Zuko would be sitting out, they would only be worried about him.

Zuko gave in, touched by Aang’s words. “Okay.” Then, later, once they had taken their skates off, he said what he really meant. “Thank you guys.” He wanted to say more but he refrained. He really needed to figure out what his feelings for them meant, if anything. This friend-date was a good start, but he was brewing up a plan that would help him further. 

“Of course.” Katara answered. “No matter what, we care about you.”  
“Can you help me learn, then?”

They liked that idea a lot better. They got him back on the ice and held him up, one of them on each side of him, their arms intertwined with his. He found that he liked the feeling, and although he didn't like the cold, they were warming him up with their proximity. Katara was explaining tips to him, but he wasn’t really listening, a little distracted by their small touches and the way they would support his weight when he slipped.

Then, she must’ve said something about letting go, because one moment he was standing fine on his feet and the next moment he was falling. 

“Zuko!” Katara exclaimed, worried for a second as she and Aang tried to catch him before he fell completely, and suddenly he was in their arms. 

He smiled nervously. “I think ice skating just isn’t my thing.”

They got their hot cocoas and sat in Katara’s car, waiting for time to pass. Zuko really should’ve been getting back to studying soon, but he preferred spending time with them. 

“Hey guys, don’t take this the wrong way.” They braced themselves for bad news. Katara thought for a second he might want to end their friendship because of how badly the day had gone. "I know that this was supposed to just be a friend date, but to me it felt like a real date."

From that day on, they were fine with calling that their first date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for reading and for all the support! ♥♥


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is sort of a short chapter, but I really like it! Thanks again for reading ♥♥

“Azula!” 

“Oh. It’s you.”

“Don’t hang up please. I just wanted to talk.” That wasn’t entirely the truth. “Actually, I wanted some advice.”

Azula was quiet on the other line for a beat too long. “Okay, what is this about?”

Zuko was probably being over eager, but he was excited his sister was finally willing to talk to him. “I just...” He knew Azula had more experience when it came to this sort of thing, and he thought back to their conversation as kids about her feelings for a girl. “How do you know when you’re in love?”

She audibly snorted. “Zuko, I think the fact that you’re calling to ask means a lot.” 

He exhaled deeply. “I’m trying to determine if my feelings are romantic.”

He wasn’t quite catching on, so she added, “Look, if you think you might be in love with someone, just ask yourself if you want to do romantic things with them. It isn’t that hard.”

Zuko hadn’t thought of it like that before. He had enjoyed their “date-date”, and he was pretty sure he enjoyed kissing them. There was still one thing that had him worried. “What if I’m in love with two people?”

When Azula didn't answer, Zuko kept talking. “It’s just complicated, and I don’t know if it’ll work out, and--”

This time, Azula didn't take her time on an answer. She immediately almost yelled, “Who put you up to this?” She seemed much angrier than before. “I thought we were finally getting along.”

She hung up.

The dial tone rang through the room louder in Zuko’s ears than it should’ve. “Azula?” He asked quietly, knowing she wasn’t going to answer. He didn't try to call back either; he knew that hang-up was deliberate.

Zuko hadn’t felt this hurt in years. Nothing hurt more than not being accepted by family, even if it seemed as if Zuko should be used to it by now. He felt his eyes tear up, but he knew Aang and Katara would be there soon, and he didn't want to seem weak in front of them. Especially after he told them it was going to be a good day. He had been looking forward to that conversation, but now that just seemed naive. 

When he heard the door open, he couldn’t stop the tears from flowing. He tried to hide behind his hands, but that didn't make the situation seem any better. He just didn't want them to pity him. 

“Zuko, we’re finally done with classes for the day. So what did you want to tell us?” Aang asked, only seeing that Zuko was laying down on his bed. Then, he heard a quiet sob. 

Katara was the first to respond. “Zuko, are you alright?” She rushed over to him, suddenly not caring about personal space. 

Zuko sat up to look her in the eye and tried to laugh through his tears. “How do I always end up crying around you two?” He knew the answer, though. 

Aang made his way over to the bed as well and sat down on the floor next to it. “Zuko, you can talk to us, but you don’t owe us anything. We can leave if you want, or--”

Before Aang could continue his rant attempting to calm Zuko down, he interrupted. “Don’t leave. Please.” 

They didn't leave. They sat with him in silence, Aang holding his hand and Katara clinging on to him as if she were worried he would fall apart. She didn't have the same worries as she had before and didn't act as if she were walking on eggshells around him. She just wanted to help him, and she knew that Aang holding her would cheer her up, so she tried to do the same. 

“We’re here for you.” Aang reassured him, and used his thumb to rub soft, gentle circles on Zuko’s palm. Katara ran her hands through his hair, trying to soothe him. Zuko was glad they were helping, but it was making him fall apart more. If they had left him alone, he would’ve hid his pain, though. He was very thankful they stayed. 

After a few minutes, he was ready to explain what had happened. “I talked to my sister.” Simply that would’ve been enough to explain it, but he kept going. “I told her about struggling with my feelings for you and she brushed me off. She made it seem like I was attacking her or something. I think she might tell my dad.”

Katara froze in fear at that last part. “Zuko, I’m so sorry. And thank you for telling us.”

Aang jumped in, finishing her thought as if he could read it. “You can always confide in us.”

“And I know it seems hard right now, but if your family is causing you this much pain, you don’t have to worry about them,” Katara was mostly ranting at this point, trying to fill the space between them with words. 

“We can be your family,” Aang told him, hand still tenderly holding on to Zuko’s. He hadn’t meant it to sound so romantic, but as soon as he said it, he could tell both Zuko and Katara heard it that way. He hid his face in his hands and chuckled a little under his breath and did the same. “You don’t have to figure this out, either. We can stay in limbo like this forever for all I care.” 

Zuko took Aang’s hand back and grabbed a hold of Katara’s as well, holding on tight. “I’m trying to be okay. Thank you guys.” They saw him smile and it felt like the world was brighter again. Then, he brought Katara’s hand to his lips and kissed the back of her hand, then did the same for Aang, and suddenly they were love-struck, stuttering messes again. “Maybe I will just stay in limbo. I’m starting to enjoy it.”


	5. Chapter 5

Zuko was definitely in love with them. The problem was, he couldn’t figure it out to save his life. 

Ever since that day after his phone call with Azula, he wanted to be that close to them again, wanted to feel that safe again. So, he planned on asking them on another date. It could still be platonic on the second date, right? Deep down, he knew what he wanted. But he kept thinking back to his family. Despite everything they had done to him, a part of him still wanted to live up to their standards and make them proud. 

So, after his test (which went better than he expected, although his mind did keep wandering to his friends), he called Aang and Katara to ask them out. Before he even finished dialing, he was sure of his decision. “Are you guys free tonight?” 

They replied, “Yes,” in unison.

He smiled wide, happy that he could go through with his plan. “Will you go out with me again?”

A second date. They couldn’t say no to that. And this time, Zuko wanted to go to dinner, and although they were a little nervous to go on a three-way date in public, they were still determined to go to a slightly fancy restaurant. 

Zuko planned to meet them there; he said he had to get ready before he went. Katara and Aang waited at a table, unsure of which side they should sit on, but buzzing with excitement. “Doesn’t this remind you of our first date?” Aang said, teasing her about the embarrassing memory. 

“Don’t remind me,” she groaned. “It was bad enough we were only, like, 15, but everything seemed so serious back then.”

“It felt like the most important thing in the world.” He laughed, remembering it fondly. He had gotten dressed up in a suit, brought her flowers, only to later spill her drink on her. She wasn’t mad at the time, but they still thought of it as a funny moment in their relationship.

They looked up from their menus when Zuko arrived. He was dressed up in what they assumed was a rented suit and was holding a bouquet of flowers. Aang and Katara both had to work not to burst out laughing. Zuko looked embarrassed. 

“What, is it too much?” 

Aang shook his head as aggressively as possible. “No, it’s perfect.” 

Zuko expected Aang to move to the other side of the table to sit with Katara, but he just scooted over to make room for Zuko to sit. He did, and although he had expected to feel ashamed, he just felt safe. 

“Sorry for laughing, Zuko, this just reminded us of our first date,” Katara explained. 

Oh. Zuko didn't know if that was good or bad, but he was happy that this was happening and had gone fairly well so far. The night hadn’t even started, but Zuko was already coming to a conclusion about his experiment. 

They ordered dinner, all eating some sort of pasta, but it wasn’t the food that mattered. It was the company. Katara told some story about her and Sokka as kids that Zuko would’ve paid attention to if Aang’s shoulder hadn’t been leaning on his own for the past minute. Then, Aang told the story of how he came to move in with Katara before they started dating when he was studying abroad and that was how they met. Zuko loved hearing about their lives, but before he knew it it was his turn to tell a story from his childhood. He couldn’t think of many good memories, and he didn't want to bring up any bad ones, so he stayed quiet and let Katara start another story of her own. 

Once they were done eating and chatting, they each paid for their own meals and headed back. Zuko had some time alone to think as he drove back and although he had planned to make a decision about his feelings, now he just wanted to use it to give himself a pep talk. He tried to convince himself to be brave. 

After what seemed like the longest car ride ever, Zuko finally made it back to the dorms and after sneaking Katara up to their room, Zuko felt like he had just run a marathon. He didn't know if he could do this. 

“Zuko, are you alright?” Katara asked, putting an arm on his back as he took his shoes off. 

“Fine.” He said, not sure if he was pretending. He took his suit jacket off and couldn’t help but notice Aang and Katara look at him a little differently. “Actually, can I talk to you guys?”

Aang and Katara weren’t worried anymore. They respected his decision either way, and they had faith that he was making the right decision, whatever that might be.

"Can you stay until I've worked up the courage to say it?" He asked, already sure they would agree.

It had gotten dark, and they were sitting on the floor in between Aang and Zuko's bed, when Zuko spoke up. It was quiet as if he didn't even want them to hear, but it was there nonetheless and they knew what he said loud and clear. "I love you." He hadn't planned on saying it outright like that, but it was the complete truth. 

Aang and Katara searched for ways to respond. Verbally, they were having difficulties, but physically they knew exactly what to do as if on instinct. They each took one of his hands and squeezed, and then Aang finally spoke only to say, "Can we hug you?" And Zuko couldn’t say much more than 'yes' before they put their free arms around him, surrounding him with the fact that they still loved him back.

"Zuko," Katara said, and although she had wanted to say more, the rest of the sentence was lost as she tried to gather her thoughts. She was just as stilted in her words as Zuko had been as she also tried to work up the courage. "Can I kiss you?" 

His heart pounded loudly in his chest, but he would never forgive himself if he answered 'no'. He just leaned towards her, feeling safe enough to let himself go with both of them by his side. Katara closed the gap and kissed him, and something in both of them clicked. Katara, as much as she regretted admitting it, had been waiting for this moment for months now. Zuko, on the other hand, had just recently come to terms with his desire to kiss her, but that didn't make him feel any less complete. 

Zuko was a bit clumsy as kissing, he had only kissed one other person before, but he found it was easy enough with Katara. She knew what she was doing, and in the back of Zuko's mind he knew it was from practice with Aang. He melted into her, feeling safer than he had in a long time in her arms. He didn't want it to end, but he needed to breathe, and he also wanted to feel Aang's lips where Katara's had just been, so when Katara leaned away he wasn't too disappointed. 

Still closing his eyes, he let them trade places and the second he felt Aang kiss him he could tell the difference. It was no surprise that Aang's skin was rougher, but he kissed softer, and Zuko felt himself taking over Katara's role as they gradually found a rhythm. After a while, though, Zuko really needed to catch his breath, and when he did he finally opened his eyes. 

He saw how full of love both of them were as they looked at him, surprised and completely free now that Zuko had confessed. Then, he saw that same expression as they turned to each other and shared a kiss of their own, which was familiar yet new. They had kissed many times, but there was something different about it when they had both just kissed Zuko. Something they could get used to. 

Zuko took their hands in his again as they kissed and mirrored what he had done a week ago; he kissed their knuckles, first Aang's, then Katara's, and back again. This had cemented it: he was 100% in love with them. 

“So, that was nice,” Katara pointed out jokingly. “Are you okay, Zuko?”

Zuko nodded as quickly as he could in response. “Yes. Amazing.” 

Aang was just happy that he had finally gotten to experience the love that they had for him. He didn't have room in his heart to imagine how this would work from now on.

Unfortunately, Zuko was curious about the future. “So, where do we go from here?”

They all knew it would be much of the same. They were close enough to dating before, anyway, so the only thing different seemed to be the kissing. “Whatever you want,” Katara said. “We’re in this together. Do you want to ‘be dating’ us?”

Zuko thought it over for a second. He had enjoyed the date, and he was fairly certain he would like it even more if he didn't have to worry about figuring things out. “Yes.”

"So, what do we call you?"

Zuko thought for a moment. "Well, what do you call each other?"

Aang and Katara didn't like using pet names for each other, but they both wanted to call Zuko things like 'babe' or 'sweetie' or 'honey', mainly just to see his reaction. “Well, I guess you’re our boyfriend now if that’s okay with you, babe,” Katara said, testing out the name. 

Zuko loved it. He said “yes,” again, excited for everything they had suggested. He couldn’t wait to hear them call him theirs. And they were his.


	6. Chapter 6

When Winter break time came around, Zuko still hadn't gotten the usual call from his family telling him to come home while he had time off. He was fine with that, since he knew he wasn’t on the best terms with them, and he was planning on going with Katara and Aang as they visited her family. That was a whole other problem, but Katara told him it would be fine. Sokka had already taken the news well, and she was sure that if her dad got to meet Zuko, he would do the same. 

Zuko still wanted to call Azula and clear things up. If she could listen to him for once, she might understand what he was going through, and he really wanted her to. In the days leading up to break, he kept dialing her number but ultimately bailing and not hitting ‘call’. Aang and Katara tried their best to comfort him and tell him that it was alright, but they didn't exactly know what he was going through, and he didn't blame them for that.

So, then, it was finally winter break and they had to take the two hour car ride to Katara’s house. She was fine with driving them, so Aang and Zuko sat in the back together with Sokka in the passenger seat (Suki was planning on driving over by herself the next day). After only about 15 minutes, Aang was asleep and resting on his shoulder, which comforted Zuko. He didn't like sleeping on car rides, but with the reassurance of Aang next to him and his trust that Katara could drive them safely, he fell asleep as well.

His dream started out normal, full of pop quizzes and confrontations with people he no longer knew. But then, it started to morph into something unrecognizable. He couldn’t see anything, he was in complete darkness. It was freezing cold as well, and he had never had a dream so vivid that he could feel the temperature. Then, he couldn’t breathe, he was underwater, and everything seemed to be against him and it felt like there was no way to stop it. He tried to swim up, but no matter how hard he tried he just kept drowning, cold and suffocating. 

He woke up shivering. 

The rest of the car was looking at him when he opened his eyes and he realized they had stopped. They were all talking at once, mostly just asking if he was okay. Apparently he had done something in his sleep to alarm them. 

“I’m fine,” Zuko said. “It’s just really cold.” He folded in on himself, holding his own limbs to try and stop his shaking from the cold around him. It had actually gotten considerably colder since he had fallen asleep, but he guessed the others didn't mind the cold. His nightmare was quickly disappearing from his mind, but he could still feel the fear. 

Katara, Sokka, and Aang comforted him until he insisted they were only wasting their time, so they finally got back to driving, except this time Sokka volunteered to drive so Katara could sit in the back with her boyfriends. Zuko was able to fall asleep again with Katara and Aang on either side of him, and was comforted by their body heat warming him up.

***

Zuko didn't remember what he dreamt the rest of the ride, if anything. Once they arrived, they woke him up and he suddenly realized they were planning on introducing him to Katara’s dad in just a few minutes. That made him nervous, but he trusted that Katara wouldn’t be introducing them if she didn't know it would be alright.

Katara lived in what seemed like a three or four bedroom house from the outside. It was smaller than what Zuko was used to, but seemed like a home, and Zuko couldn’t help but try to imagine what kinds of memories Katara, and later Aang made here.

He followed them into the house with Sokka close behind, taking in all the details that came at him at once. He heard Katara call out to her dad and then heard a deep, commanding voice that he could immediately tell was Katara and Sokka’s dad; he could hear the family resemblance. Katara hugged her dad, who then moved on to Sokka and finally Aang, who acted like a part of the family. Zuko assumed Suki was probably the same way, and wondered if he would ever be that close to them. He didn't let himself go down that train of thought because Katara’s dad took one look at Zuko and asked, “Who’s this?”

Katara chuckled at the bluntness and softened her voice to counteract her dad’s. “Dad, I’m fairly sure I told you that I was bringing Zuko.”

Zuko didn't know this conversation was going to happen so fast, and he wasn’t close to prepared for it. 

Katara kept talking, anyway, apparently wanting to get the news over with. “He’s our...” she paused in a moment of hesitation but finished, “boyfriend,” once she had collected her thoughts. She grabbed her boys by their shoulders and hugged each one of them close to her sides. Aang smiled and braced for whatever reaction was possible while Zuko simply brought the corners of his lips up in order to try and mimic a smile. He wanted badly to impress this man. 

Katara’s dad seemed oddly silent, which they all preferred over anger or confusion. Then, he merely stuck out his hand to ask for a polite handshake in Zuko’s direction. “Part of the family, then?” 

Zuko shook his hand with as much strength as he could muster under the circumstances. He had his suspicion that this conversation was far from over but for now that was as good as he could’ve hoped for a reaction.

Meanwhile, Sokka sighed. “Well, now that that’s over,” He pushed past the three of them to make his way over to the kitchen, “What’s for dinner?”

They all laughed, and Zuko wondered for a moment if it was Sokka’s intention to lighten the mood. He ultimately dropped the idea; he didn't want to give him more credit than he was due. 

***

It was only a few hours of getting settled and eating dinner (which was fairly silent, save for Sokka’s talk about nothing much) until it was time for bed rather soon, and that made Zuko realize there was still the dilemma regarding where he was supposed to sleep. There were three bedrooms: one for their dad, one for Sokka, and one for Katara. They had told him that they had a makeshift cot for when they had visitors, but that didn't seem to be present, so he assumed he should just sleep on the couch. He took hold of his belongings and started to carry them to the living room when Aang stopped him. 

“Where are you going?”

“I’m taking my stuff to the couch?” Zuko explained, a little confused about why Aang was caught up on that detail. 

“Well, you can do that or you can stay in Katara’s bed with us.”

They hadn’t slept in the same bed before. The beds in the dorms were much too small and Zuko wasn’t sure he was comfortable about it in the past. Aang seemed to be worried about him though, probably because of his nightmare earlier, and Zuko did feel like he wouldn’t mind the contact. 

“Alright.” Zuko set his stuff back down and made himself at home under the covers. 

“You’re sure?” Aang asked before joining him. 

The first thing that Zuko noticed was that Aang seemed afraid to hurt him. It wasn’t like they had never been that close before, but Zuko must’ve seemed more breakable that day. 

Katara walked in and simply smiled before climbing in on Zuko’s other side. “Goodnight, guys,” she said into Zuko’s back and put her arm around his middle. Katara’s bed was probably queen-sized, but that still didn't mean it was big enough to hold three people comfortably. In order to accommodate Katara, Aang got closer to Zuko until he was basically sandwiched between the two of them, trapped under their limbs. It made him feel oddly comfortable. He fell asleep rather quickly that night. 

Unfortunately, Zuko’s dreams weren’t as positive. It seemed like immediately after he fell asleep, he was drowning again, but this time there was just enough light to see his hand in front of his face. He tried to swim to the top, but the light only seemed to get farther and farther away the longer he swam. His lungs burned while the rest of him shivered. He realized the only option he had was to swim down, towards the depths of whatever body of water he was in. Finally, it seemed to pay off because the light got closer and he even started to hear faint, distorted music that he couldn’t recall the name of but reminded him of a certain person. 

As he finally surfaced and his lungs filled with air again, there she was. Azula. 

“Zu-zu, it’s so good to see you.” At first, she seemed to be perched on top of the water until Zuko realized it was ice. He was encased in ice, and the light he had so eagerly swam towards was the achingly bright fluorescent ones at the ice rink. 

Now that he could breathe, he couldn’t move, most of his body encased in the ice. “Azula, help me,” he pleaded, but she didn't seem to hear.

Suddenly, he was somewhere new, somewhere almost burning hot, somewhere he shouldn’t recognize. He found himself in front of a palace, and he was sure he didn't belong there. Then, he made his way inside, and everyone treated him like he did belong, like he’s always been there. He caught sight of his dad, who stood over him with a powerful stance, and Zuko knew that was always a dangerous thing. 

His suspicions were confirmed when he screamed in pain, the kind of pain that’s barely-there but so real that goes along with a dream. He opened his eyes to see his vision obstructed by fire, but he didn't have to see to know it was his father doing the damage. He didn’t have to ask to know that it was his own fault.

He yelled out in a voice that made him realize he had been a young child this whole time, but way too young to understand that his father isn’t always right. 

“Zu-zu, you’re too late,” Azula says to him from nowhere.

What? He thought, but it was too late to speak to her; he was already awake. 

When Zuko woke up, he held the left side of his face and half-expected to breathe fire. He noticed that Aang and Katara were gone before he even realized where he was and why he should expect them to be there. 

“Zuko, it’s getting late,” he heard in the far corner of his mind, and as he rid his mind of the remnants of the dream, he could see that it was Aang speaking. “It’s almost ten in the morning, Zuko. Do you want to get up?” 

He didn't seem worried. Apparently, there were no outward signs of his nightmare this time. But, this time, Zuko could remember almost every detail vividly. “Yeah, just give me a minute.” He noticed how cold it was when he tried to peel the sheets off of his body. He didn't feel good enough to get up just yet, but he put on a brave face for his partners. He got out of bed and put on clothes at least presentable enough for Katara’s dad and followed them into the living room. 

“Hot cocoa?” Zuko heard from behind him. It was Sokka asking, and he had two mugs filled to the brim with cocoa. Zuko nodded and Sokka handed him the mug, which was almost burning hot to the touch. Just the way he liked it. He sat in relative silence as the family had small talk amongst each other about how school was going, and Hakoda asked when Suki was coming. Sokka explained that she was on her way, but she would most likely want to stay in for a while after driving over. Katara caught on that Sokka was trying to hint that the three of them could show Zuko around town if they wanted, and nodded. 

“Zuko, do you want the grand tour?” She asked, and when Zuko answered positively, she asked her dad if he had any plans for later in the day. 

They took the car out again to drive around town, and Zuko made sure to bundle up. He loved Katara showing him every little location that she remembered from childhood, as Aang pointed out things he remembered as well once he had met her and started visiting often. 

Zuko chuckled, wondering how he had gotten so lucky. He almost completely forgot about his nightmare. The car ride also gave Zuko time to think about Azula. He wasn’t used to getting calls from his family, but seeing Katara’s family made him a little jealous. He had no reason to visit if he was on bad terms with Azula, especially if they didn't want him there. Another part of him thought there was some way he could make things right, even though he wasn’t the one who made things wrong in the first place. 

Then, he heard Katara point out the skating rink she frequented as a kid and Zuko’s dream came flooding back to him. Suddenly, it felt real again, and the cold from outside the car chilled his bones. His eyes started to water with tears Zuko was sure would freeze instantly. He could tell Katara kept talking, but his ears were ringing with the sound of his sister’s voice. “Katara,” he spoke up. “Can you stop the car?”

Katara did as she was asked, and this prompted Aang to turn around in worry. “Zuko, are you alright?” He could see he was on the verge of tears. 

He swallowed his tears so he could finally get out what he needed to say. “Thanks so much for supporting me through all this, but I think there’s something I need to do on my own before I can really move on.”

Katara and Aang nodded together. “Sure, Zuko, anything,” Katara told him, wanting to support him further even though she was stuck behind the wheel.

“I think I need to call my sister.” 

They respected his decision, and would’ve handed him the phone if need be. They were even happy for him, since they could see that he needed closure. Katara told him they would be there for him if he needed help, or even if he wanted them to be in the room with him. 

Then, Aang asked him a simple question. “So, when are you going to call, then?” 

It took Zuko a little too long to answer. “I guess when we get back to school. I could do it on the drive over, but that’s already uncomfortable enough, and--”

“We can see when you’re ready,” he interrupted him with an answer before he could panic about not having everything figured out.

“Alright.” 

They stayed at Katara’s place for another day, but didn't do much more than cuddle, watch movies, and try to help Zuko be more comfortable with the idea of actually following through and talking to his sister again. He loved spending the time with them, but the longer he put it off, the more guilty he was feeling. 

They weren’t planning to stay much longer, and after everything, they decided it would be best to head home and get ready for school again. They got ready to go, said ‘goodbye’ to Sokka and Suki (who would drive back together in a week) and then it was time to leave. Zuko still knew in the back of his mind that he hadn’t talked to Katara’s dad all that much, but he was still surprised when Hakoda approached him as he was just about ready to go out the door and his partners were in the car waiting. 

“Zuko, I just wanted to say,” he started, obviously a little nervous, which Zuko found humbling, “I don’t pretend to know what my daughter is up to,” he paused, and the space between sentences it made Zuko a little uncomfortable, “But I’m glad you make them happy.” That seemed to be all, and although it wasn’t much, it was so much more than Zuko could ever hope for from his own family. He simply nodded and went out the door to meet up with Katara and Aang once again.

“What held you up?” Katara asked, already halfway knowing the truth.

Zuko didn't want to explain what had happened, since he wasn’t really sure himself, so he just said, “Nothing.” And then they were on their way back. 

After an hour, Zuko was getting restless. He wanted to get this over with, wanted to finally talk this out. “I’m calling her.”

Katara wanted to support him, but also wanted the ability to console him if things went wrong, and she couldn’t do that very well if she was driving. “Wait, Zuko, right now? I--” She stopped talking when she heard the dial tone. Worse yet, it seemed as if it was on speaker. She hoped she would have enough focus not to crash the car.

“Zu-Zu?” 

Katara almost lost focus when she heard that nick-name. She would have to try not to tease him with that later. Aang, on the other hand, whipped his head around to look at Zuko in the back seat and tried to calm him down. They could both tell he was breathing too heavily for it to be healthy. 

“Azula,” he sounded as calm as possible, and calmed down further when Aang grabbed hold of his hand. “I wanted to talk.”

“Not now, Zuko, I was having a good day. Call back later when I’m in the mood to be disappointed.”

“Wait!” He yelled, afraid she would hang up. “I just wanted to say, I know my relationship might seem strange to you,” he spoke fast so he could get in everything he wanted to say before she could hang up, “but I love them, and I want you to try to understand--”

“Wait, what?” Azula sounded completely incredulous. “Your relationship?” She paused for a few beats, then as realization began to set in, she laughed. “Zuko, I think we both misunderstood.”

Now Zuko was confused. “What? So you’re not mad at me for dating two people?”

She laughed again. “First of all, I’m not Dad. To be honest, I’m really rethinking coming to visit home next year if you’re not here. So trust me when I say I’m not going to be mad about something like that. Second of all, I’m dating Ty Lee and Mai.”

Well, Zuko had not expected that. Ty Lee made sense. They seemed to be pining hard for each other last time he saw them both in the same room. But Mai, the first and only other person he had dated? That was a little harder for him to grasp. Once he thought about it for a second, though, she did seem to balance out Ty Lee’s eccentricities. “Oh. So you thought that I was judging you.” He understood it all now, and he joined her in laughing. 

Katara and Aang had no idea what was so funny, but it was heavenly to listen to him laugh. 

After straightening everything out, Zuko introduced his partners to his sister and they talked for a little until she had to go. By then, they were almost back anyway, and the time had passed easily. Zuko thought about visiting his sister next winter break.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading ♥♥


	7. Chapter 7

Zuko reluctantly went out again with Katara and Aang’s group of friends, but it was different this time. Maybe he would consider them his friends, too, soon. But, they had suggested a strange restaurant that Zuko hadn’t ever been to, and he was sure they would tease him and his partners about their relationship. Good naturedly, of course, but Zuko still wasn’t looking forward to it.

He was looking forward to sitting in between Katara and Aang, though, and this time he wouldn’t be afraid to hold their hands. The room was cold, and the food wasn’t to his liking, but Zuko didn't care. He was just happy to spend time with the people he loved. Plus, it was nice to see Sokka, Suki, and Toph again. They were fun people, even if Zuko did find them annoying from time to time.

After dinner, Zuko didn't let go of his partners’ hands even after they stood up to leave. There weren’t many people around to judge, anyway, so he thought it was safe. He braced himself for the teasing, but it didn't come. Instead, Sokka approached his sister on their way out, speaking in a hushed voice, which seemed impossible for him in usual circumstances. 

“Katara, Dad told me something after you guys had left,” he started, walking backwards in front of them so he could face them while he talked, and Zuko noticed that Suki looked as if she was steering him in the right direction whenever he was about to run into something. “He didn't tell me to tell you, but I think you should know.”

Katara was a little worried, so her voice came out angry. “What is it, Sokka?”

He smiled nervously, stopping in place, causing the rest of them to stop, too. “He said he’s happy for you.” He rubbed the back of his head nervously, not looking her in the eye when he added, “And I am, too.” After his momentary lapse in his cool-guy persona, he spun around and acted like normal. “Although it is a little unfair that you get two boyfriends,” he said, emphasis on the two, then again softened his voice, “You deserve all the love in the world.” 

Aang laughed, and responded, “Can’t argue with that,” and smiled at Katara, peaking around Zuko to do so. 

Zuko was a little taken aback, surprised that Sokka could act so genuine.

Toph asked the three of them if they wanted to come back to her place and play card games again, but they declined. They wanted to get back to the dorms: they had only been back for one night, and hadn’t been able to spend any time alone since then. 

So, they headed back, and it felt like home. Again, Katara snuck into the boy’s room since they already missed sleeping in Katara’s queen bed and tried to pile on to Aang’s small twin. It was near impossible without all of them laying on top of each other in a pile, but even then it was more comfortable than being alone. With Zuko in the middle, he felt sufficiently warm and even though he was sure half of his body would be asleep in the morning, it felt like home. 

Then, he had to wake up. Had to go to school, had to study, had to take a test. It was the same, but everything was different. He could go to sleep next to his favorite people, and he didn't have to worry about his family. Well, he did worry a little bit since they were still paying for his school, but he was sure Azula put in a good word for him. 

He felt like he could go anywhere, do anything, be anything by their side. At the end of the day, he could kiss them, hold them, be held by them. It was as if he had everything he had ever needed. 

Then, Katara asked him about the future. “Zuko, how do you see this relationship in the future?” She asked it nonchalantly, but it made Zuko jump.

“The future?” That was a broad term. He didn't like to look that far in the future, and when it came to this relationship, he didn't want to get his hopes up that there was a future. 

“Yeah, do you want to keep dating us when we graduate?”

She was asking what he wanted. He thought they were going to say this was just a temporary thing until she wanted to move in with Aang, or they wanted to have children, or got bored. “Yeah. I want to date you guys as long as I live. Or until you don’t want to, I guess.”

Her heart broke a little. She walked over to him and put her hands on his face. “Zuko, we love you. We’re never going to abandon you.” She brought her lips to his forehead, then kissed his nose, then made her way to his lips. As they kissed, his insecurities melted away. 

They heard the door open. Aang was done with classes, and interrupted at the worst time. Or maybe the best. He put down his stuff and walked towards them. “Hey, what are you guys doing without me?” He joked, clearly just wanting to join in on the fun. 

Katara wouldn’t let him have it, though. She quickly jumped away from Zuko and smirked at him. “We were discussing the future.”

That gave Aang pause. “Really? What about ‘the future’?” 

“We’re gonna buy a big house and adopt puppies and kittens and--”

“Kids?” Aang asked, interrupting his girlfriend. They had never talked about it, even before Zuko. Aang definitely wanted kids, and he was fairly sure Katara did, too. Zuko, though, was a whole other story. He didn't have the best childhood, so it would make sense if he didn't want kids. 

Katara shrugged. “Sure. Not any time soon, though.” 

Zuko was rarely sure about anything. But he was sure that he wanted a future with Katara and Aang. And if that future included kids, he wanted that, too. He hadn’t given it much thought before, but he could imagine it more and more once Aang brought it up. He would love to see kids that looked like Aang and Katara running around their hypothetical house, and he would love even more to see them raise those kids. “Yeah, I’d like that.” He wasn’t sure if he wanted kids himself, but he would definitely raise any kids Aang and Katara wanted to have like his own. 

“That seems like a good future,” Aang said, and it became apparent they were all imagining it. However different their visions were, they knew that they would figure things out. It felt like they would get through it all together, like they were untouchable. Then, with a smile on his lips Aang made his way to Zuko’s bed and kissed him. “I hope we get there someday.” Although the statement sounded rather pessimistic, they heard the hope in his voice, and they hoped too.

“I love you.”

“Love you too.”

“Love you three.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, this is the last chapter, but don't worry, I will be posting an epilogue in a few days as another work in this series! Thank you so much for all your comments, kudos and support this has been so fun to write and post!! ♥♥♥


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